Folding gate.



No. 64l,262. I Patented Jan. 16,1900. J.'BODE.

FQLDING GATE.

(Application filed s n. as, 1899.) 7 Y 2 Shear-Shut I.

(No Model.)

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No. 64|,262. Patented Ian. l6, moo. J. BODE;

FOLDING GATE.

(Application filed Sept. 23,1899.)

(No Mndel.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Nara STATES JOHN BODE, OF JERSEY CITY, NElV JERSEY;

FOLDINGVGATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 641,262, dated January1c, 1906.

Application filed September 23, 1899. Serial No. 731,390. (No model.)

To all-whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatl, JOHN BODE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Jersey City, New Jersey, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Folding Gates, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a folding gate, more particularly applicablefor cars, though it may also be used for other purposes.

The gate is so constructed that it may be easily manipulated, will openand close freely, and will occupy a minimum space when folded.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of my improvedfolding gate, showing it distended; Fig. 2, a plan, partly in section,thereof; Fig. 3, a section on line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, an enlargedsection on line 4 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a side view of the gate, showing itpartly folded; Fig. 6, a section on line 6 6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a plan ofthe gate, showing it completely folded; Fig. 8, a plan of amodification, showing the invention applied to two adjoiningcar-platforms and Fig. 9, an enlarged section on line 9 9, Fig. 8.

The letter A represents the post of the gate,

. adapted to be bolted or otherwise anchored to a car-platform or otherbase at its lower end.

From the post A project outwardly a perforated upper arm ct and aperforated lower arm a within which is free to turn the first bar I) ofanumber of parallel upright bars b 6 the. These bars pivotally connectat the upper ends a series of horizontal links 0 and at their lower endsa corresponding series of horizontal links 61, the parts I) b, &c., c dconstituting in effect the folding body of the gate.

From the upper end of post A'projects a pivot a upon which turns anupper lever e, of a length substantially equal to the width of the gate,Fig. 1, so that the lever traverses the gate. The free end of lever eisprovided with an outwardly-projecting headed stud or roller 6, whichengages a longitudinal slot 6 of the last or outermost bar 6 such barbeing provided with flanged edges 19 Fig. 4, by means of which theroller is retained within the slot. When the gate is open, alternatebars will fold inward (toward the operator) and alternate bars will foldoutward, Fig. 7. The inwardly-folding bars b b are embraced by eyes 6secured to the lever e and of a width greater than the diameter of thebars. The outwardly-folding bars 6' b b are provided withinwardly-projecting tapering abut ments or shoulders f, adapted tocontact with the body of the lever 6. Thus the lever by contactinglaterally with the intermediate bars of the gate starts to fold the samealternately in opposite directions.

The lever ehas a handle a and is provided with a pivoted spring-catch ghaving two hooks g g. The hook g is adapted to engage akeeper a on postA when the lever e is folded upward, while the hook g is adapted toengage a keeper (1 when the lever is folded downward. Thus the gate islocked in its distended or closed position, Fig. 1, and also in itsfolded or open position, Fig. 7.

To a lower arm a of post A is pivoted a lower lever h, which is actuatedfrom lever e by a rod 2', pivoted to the long arm of lever e and to theshort arm of lever h, so that the levers will swing in oppositedirections. The lower lever his, similarly to lever 6, provided at itsfree end with a headed stud or roller h, engaging the slot 6 of bar butthe studs 6' h enter the slot from opposite sides, Fig. 4, so that thelevers will not interfere in passing each other.

The operation is as follows: When the gate is folded, Fig. 7, and is tobe expanded or unfolded, the hand of the operator releases catch g fromkeeper a and simultaneously bears upon handle a This will swing lever eupward and lever h downward with their free ends until both leversarrive substantially in a horizontal position. During this motion thefree ends of the levers will have forced the bar 19 away from postA tothe maximum extent, and thus the gate will be shut. As soon as the levere has arrived at the end of its stroke the hook g will engage keeper (1to lock the gate in its extended position. To open the gate, the hook gis disengaged from keeper a and the handle e is simultaneously raised toforce the free end of lever 6 down and the free end of lever h up.

. Inasmuch as the bars I) 12 12 &c., are sub-v stantially in the samevertical plane when the gate is extended, the dead-centers must first beovercome before the levers can commence their efiective movement. Thisis eflected by the tapering abutments f on bars I) b b and by the eyes aof lever e, which engage the intervenin g bars b 19 As the lever edescends it will bear upon the abutments f to push the bars I) b boutward, while the eyes 9 will simultaneously draw the intervening bars11 b inward, and the folding of the gate is thus started. As the leverse it make their stroke they will completely fold the gate, which isfinally locked in its open position by the engagement of hook g withkeeper a It will beseen that by means of the two levers e 71. swingingin opposite directions the gate is simultaneously attacked from oppositeends, so that a uniform motion ensues and jamming is prevented.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the invention is shown to be applied to the adjoiningplatforms B of a pair of cars, the construction being such that theguard may open simultaneously two gates, one with each hand. In thismodification the catch 9 is dispensed with and a lever j is by link jconnected to rod '5. This lever is pivoted at 7' to one of the uprights7c of the platform-railing, to another upright 70' of which is secured asegment Z, having an upper notch Z and a lower notch Z adapted to beengaged by spring-catch j of leverj. As the leverj is swung up or down,the gate will be opened or closed in manner hereinabove described, thelevers j of adjoining platforms being placed in such close proximitythat they may be simultaneously grasped and manipulated. I

What I claim is 1. A foldinggate composed of a series of bars, pivotedconnecting-links, a lever traversing the gate, eyes on the lever thatengage alternate bars, and a sliding connection between the outermostbar and the free end of the lever, substantially as specified.

2. A folding gate composed of a series of bars, pivotedconnecting-links, tapering abutments on alternate bars, a lever adaptedto contact with the abutments, and eyes on the lever which engage theintermediate bars,substantially as specified.

3. A folding gate composed of a series of bars, pivotedconnecting-links, t-aperin g abutments on alternate bars, a leveradapted to contact with the abutments, eyes on the lever which engagethe intermediate bars, and means for causing a sliding engagementbetween the lever and the outermost bar, substantially as specified.

4.. A folding gate composed of a series of bars, pivotedconnecting-links, a pair of levers that movably engage the outermostbar, and a rod that connects the levers, substantially as specified.

5. A folding gate composed of a series of bars, pivotedconnecting-links, a pair of levers that movably engage the outermostbar, means for connecting the levers, means for throwing alternate barsout of vertical alinement, and means for locking the gate in itsterminal positions, substantially as specified.

6. A folding gate composed of a series of bars, pivotedconnecting-links, a pair of levers that movably engage the outermostbar, tapering abutments on alternate bars, eyes on one of the leversthat engage the intermediate bars, and a catch for locking the gate inits terminal positions, substantially as specified.

JOHN BODE.

Witnesses:

F. v. BRIESEN, WILLIAM MILLER.

